Upgrading your weapon in Hollow Knight is crucial for surviving the increasingly hostile environments and powerful bosses across Hallownest. The Nailsmith is the master craftsman responsible for refining your Nail, allowing you to deal significantly more damage in combat. Finding his hut early in your journey will make navigating tough regions much more manageable.
Finding the Nailsmith Hut Location
The Nailsmith resides in an isolated workshop located on the far left edge of the City of Tears. To reach his hut, enter the city and navigate down towards the lower western section below the Fungal Wastes entrance. You will find his residence tucked away at the very end of a secluded corridor surrounded by rain and giant structures.
Reaching this location requires traversing through several rooms filled with dangerous enemies, so ensure you have sufficient health before making the trip. Once inside, you can speak directly with the craftsman to begin upgrading your primary weapon. He will remain in this location for the majority of your adventure until your Nail reaches its final refinement stage.
Required Materials for Nail Upgrades
Improving your Nail requires a combination of Geo currency and rare items known as Pale Ore. The initial upgrade only costs Geo, making it easy to obtain shortly after discovering the City of Tears. Subsequent upgrades demand increasingly higher amounts of Geo alongside several pieces of Pale Ore hidden throughout the kingdom.
Pale Ore can be discovered by exploring secretive areas, defeating tough bosses, or completing specific side quests across Hallownest. Collecting all six pieces of Pale Ore allows you to fully maximize your weapon's potential and drastically increase your damage output. Planning your exploration routes will help you gather these essential crafting items efficiently.
All Nail Upgrade Stages and Costs
The first enhancement transforms your Old Nail into a Sharpened Nail for a modest fee of 250 Geo. Following that, the Channelled Nail requires 800 Geo and one piece of Pale Ore to further sharpen your blade. The Spiral Nail step demands 2,000 Geo along with two additional pieces of Pale Ore for a massive strength boost.
Finally, achieving the Pure Nail requires 4,000 Geo and three pieces of Pale Ore to complete the masterwork. Each tier noticeably increases your melee attacks, allowing you to defeat common enemies in fewer hits. Investing your hard-earned Geo into these weapon improvements should always be a high priority for any traveler.
The Fate of the Nailsmith
After crafting the Pure Nail, the Nailsmith fulfills his lifelong ambition of creating the ultimate weapon. He will step outside his workshop and request that you strike him down with his completed masterpiece. Players face a moral choice on whether to grant his final request or walk away from the artisan.
Choosing to spare him leads to a peaceful alternative storyline where he finds new purpose elsewhere in Hallownest. Sparing his life allows you to encounter him again later in your journey under happier circumstances. Regardless of your decision, your fully upgraded Pure Nail will serve as your most powerful asset against the ultimate challenges ahead.
